US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
This company enabled me to see the rich diversity of Uganda in warm, well-informed and active tours.
I did several tours with Paul Nangai, company owner and each was well-planned, well-paced and informative. He knows what various clients want and has a sense of how to deliver a well-crafted experience that fits the desires of the client. I learned a lot about Uganda from him and his colleagues. Trips included Murchison Falls with its unforgettable river cruise up the Nile past charging crocodiles and hippos and grazing elephants; Bwindi National Park where local guides take small groups into the forest to visit gorilla groups, to Mburo Lake park where I had sought somewhere to ride horseback and to walk amongst game, a great experience which included falling off the horse due to a warthog siting, by the horse. Mostly I treasured the interactions with Paul and his colleagues on many aspects of Ugandan life--animal and human--and over the time I lived in and visited Uganda saw him cater effectively to clients of various backgrounds, budgets and desires, devising unique itineraries that served first-time visitors to Uganda as well as African experts. Similarly, he arranges accommodations that respond to the style, budget and wishes of the client: Ugandan game lodging varies from wildly expensive to basic and sometimes there is not a great choice. I would recommend the simpler places. Food for tourists and well-off Ugandans is richly diverse with tilapia and Nile perch, Indian-influenced cuisine and Ugandan matoka and other local dishes available in many places. You can insist upon Italian, but why bother, although some places make very good pizza. The guides are the best--warm, informative, well-versed and open. I liked the fact this is a Ugandan-owned business and intend to continue to recommend and use it. I feel a special connection with Uganda as a result of the trips I took with this company.
NO
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A serious company with highly qualified guides.
Everything was perfect, especially the wild life. We where so lucky to see "The big five"!
The guide we had was fantastic and had a great knowledge about all the animals we saw on the tour. The food was really good and the logdes we stayed at where comfertable and nice. I am still enjoying good memories from seeing "The big five" and sitting outside the camp in the evening, with a campfire and a cold beer, discussing todays safari. Above us thousand of stars where shining.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Ajabu is Wonderful
Our few days with Ajabu Adventures were magical. Juma, our guide, was the best: friendly and respectful not just to us but everyone we encountered; knowledgeable and passionate about his country and environment; and eager to go above and beyond the expected to make us feel quite at home in Tanzania.
And Judith - what can I say? She is a model business owner - engaging, delightful and delivers over-the-top service and care.
The only downside was the food at the lodge where we stayed - their attempt at European cuisine feel short. May I suggest they try local delicacies, for which they probably have a much more sensitive palate, and would round out the experience of our Tanzania adventure?
DK
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The ostriches liked to race with our car !!!
I choosed Crisscross Safari to organize our second tur to Namibia (19 days), from Windhoek to Victoria Falls and back. We experienced a wonderful journey ! mr. Blaauw, Thinus, understood perfectly our wishes : a blend of nature, culture, and a bit of wilderness...To se games, breathtaking landscapes, to meet people as Damara, Himba, Herero, and Bushmen was the purpose of the trip. This has been absolutly fulfilled !
We enjoyed very much the mixture of comfortable lodges, well located and a bit primitive camps choosen by CrissCross during our sojourn. it's nice to feel being in Africa far from the nearest "Intercontinental Hotel !"
We had the privilege to be accompanied by Mr. Blaauw, Thinus, it is a priceless treasure to travel with someone with so much local knowledge. Thinus was a mine of informations and anecdotes, this mixed with great humor.
Namibia is a wonderful country to visit and I highly recommend CrissCross Safari.
PS : From June (Winter) it's very nice to be in Namibia.
The food was excellent...We enjoy the wines too !
SI
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great adventure
Me and my friend had an amazing private 4-day camping safari with Shadows of Africa through Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater. The cook was excellent, the food was delightful, mix of fish, vegetables and meet. Driver/guide was very knowledgable on wildlife and where to spot animals, he showed great patience in stopping for us to enjoy watching animals and picture taking. I think best way to enjoy safari is private safari, where you can stop as much as you want. Everything went smoothly from first day, so we could really enjoy beautiful landscape and wildlife. For use was camping great adventure, despite cold on Ngorongoro crater, animals around the tent by night :)
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Ngorongoro Crater by Nathan
The large number of lions here saw here was second to none in East Africa. We also saw a few chowing down on a zebra!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A great place to experience your first safari.
The national parks in Tanzania have a stunning amount of animals (significantly more so than Ugandan parks), and this makes game drives easier there. We visited 5 parks/reserves there, but by far our favorite resort was the Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge at the rim of the crater. The views from the hotel were stunning, and the dining room was very luxurious, so I highly recommend this lodge.
The Serengeti is a must for any safari to Tanzania. If you can be there during the Great Migration (Jan-Mar) you'll see some awe-inspiring wildlife. Unfortunately we went during the summer, so we missed that, but still had an amazing journey.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Everything we'd expected it to be.
We loved visiting Kenya, but having visited other countries in East Africa now I can say that I prefer other countries more. I like to get away from large crowds of tourists and the "popular" places where people go, and Kenya in my mind falls into that category. That being said, the wildlife and scenic beauty is stunning, and you see why so many people choose to go here on their safaris. We spent most of our time at the Masai Mara National Park and stayed at Governors Camp. What a stunning location, and hospitable accommodation. The staff was extremely helpful (especially at chasing off baboons that liked to congregate around my tent). The food was great, but I remember there being an infestation of beetles in the dining tent, which caused us to have to eat our soup with our hands over our bowls. All part of the experience I guess!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Ol Pejeta Conservancy by Dawn
Reticulated giraffes were beautiful!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An experience not to be missed
The Masai Mara is not just a feeding ground along the great migration, it's a scene taken from the pages of earth's majestic hot spots. Not only does the beautiful scenery go on forever making you see--maybe for the first time--just how big and wonderful our planet is, but you also get to be part of the animal kingdom in ways you've never imagined. As our driver turned a corner here and there another species of animal, bird, reptile, and plant came into view. A pride of lions nursing their cubs, giraffes eating from tall acacia trees, elephants on their way to the water, a cheetah getting up from a nap and walking so close to our jeep I could touch him, wildebeest as far as the eye can see--some battling for supremacy, hyenas snatching a leg from a carcass where vultures were having a last snack...so much and so wonderful. The hippos and crocs, and birds and lizards, and warthogs and monkeys were all so entertaining as well. If you don't know God yet, you'll get pretty close to Him on the Mara.